Ski the Swift Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Here it is, roll up!After my disastrous efforts to speak spoilersh in The other Heroes thread and to no avail I decided it is time for us to speak about all things that people would rather not view had they of not read it yet.Firstly I'd like to point out that I loved when Shivers put Black Dow back to the mud, unexpected and so damn exciting. Dogman (with the exception of maybe the Blood Nine) is the only one left from that clan now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bho Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Did this book remind anyone else of The Killer Angels? I kept expecting Craw to tell his men to fix bayonets and charge down the hill. Also, lol at one of the Union generals being called "Meed" (close enough to George Meade). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaiski Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Ski, you should put spoilers in the topic title rather than description. I think if you read the board on PDA's the descriptions won't show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski the Swift Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Ski, you should put spoilers in the topic title rather than description. I think if you read the board on PDA's the descriptions won't show. All done.Also, does anyone think that Joe avoided actually saying West was dead or not? West is mentioned a few times, about not being Lord Marshal anymore but nothing about his actual health. AND! It is quite obvious that the Bloody Nine is not a dead man yet. I reckon he'll make an appearance in the next book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungtotte Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Is it just me, or does Cracknut Whirrun have a reputation that is much larger than it rightfully should be? If memory serves there was not one mention of him or the Father of Swords at any point during The First Law or Best Served Cold, and seeing as we know Craw's dozen has been around for a long time Whirrun should at least have made the cast list for the Battle in the High Places or during the duel at Carleon.Don't get me wrong, he's one of my very favourite characters, but it was just something that stood out to me. And I think I figured out why I like him so much; it's because he reminds me of Stephen, the from Braveheart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 At least from "The Fools Job", Whirrun was very new to Craw's bunch. I'm not sure when that story takes place in relation to The Heroes, but Whirrun seems to have only recently shown up in the regions of the Northlands covered in the first trilogy; before then he seems to have originated from a very remote region near the sea.So, I don't know if his reputation is a problem just because he wasn't mentioned in the original trilogy (or BSC, which really had precious little to do with the North). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seli Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Caul's actions make sense if you include the backstory in 'Best Served Cold', he had his fill being manipulated and being used as a tool. So the way Black Dow was using him will have caused immense irritation, putting it in contrast to the way Calder treated him could have easily made him decide to act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariel Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Yeah, considering Shiver's development in BSC I was more surprised that he didn't act sooner to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atreides Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Good to see this thread, I would've replied in the other one except I'd already forgotten how to do spoilers.It also seems that Bayaz still doesn't have any new magical apprentices, or at least skilled ones. Khalul can just send Eaters to aid the enemy of the Union in every struggle, but Bayaz has to go himself to get things done. I wonder if this will lead to trouble the next time the Union has a two front war. On the flip side, I wonder if this means that if it every came to a straight up fight Bayaz would win, having spent the past decade getting involved in person instead of having minions to do work for him.Also, is it just me or did this book end on a slightly happier note than most Abercrombie books? Only some of the good people were killed/horribly mutilated, and some (Craw, von Brock, Dogman) even had positive endings. It seems that the Northern/Union conflict might finally simmer down since Calder is probably smart enough not to mess with Bayaz after that final banquet. And that Angland finally has some decent leadership (Finree).And the giant, Stranger-Comes-Knocking: will he be successful in his attempts to civilize his lands? He was an interesting character, pity he didn't show up too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariel Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I liked that in a straight up conflict between Bayaz and seemingly the highest (or one of the at least) ranking eaters, the First of the Magi didn't even break a sweat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Iceman of the North Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I liked that in a straight up conflict between Bayaz and seemingly the highest (or one of the at least) ranking eaters, the First of the Magi didn't even break a sweat.Well, there weren't that much of a confrontation. Bayaz have a few hundred manipulating years advantage in the north, while the eater couldn't have been long with Black Dow. As far as actual magic, Bayaz didn't do anything, did he? (Apart from getting that document from the king.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariel Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 There seems to be very little magic to be had. No I was thinking in this game of manipulation. It would seem that to beat Bayaz, Kalul will have to take to the field himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalky Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 There seems to be very little magic to be had. No I was thinking in this game of manipulation. It would seem that to beat Bayaz, Kalul will have to take to the field himself.Nah, the way I see it Khalul is still winning. Bayaz is too cruel and set in his ways to improve the Union, which barely holds together as it is. perhaps i'm wrong about this but I think Khalul has greater control over his territories and less need to get involved. All he needs to do is make sure Bayaz fails in Styria, and build up his fleet again. Shenkt and Ferro may prove to be greater threats at this point.I also request a Calder fan club, or am I alone in thinking he's cool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I loved Calder, much to my surprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariel Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Nah, the way I see it Khalul is still winning. Bayaz is too cruel and set in his ways to improve the Union, which barely holds together as it is. perhaps i'm wrong about this but I think Khalul has greater control over his territories and less need to get involved. All he needs to do is make sure Bayaz fails in Styria, and build up his fleet again. Shenkt and Ferro may prove to be greater threats at this point.I also request a Calder fan club, or am I alone in thinking he's cool?I think you're wrong in that. It's obvious that Abercrombie's world is approaching the renaissance.. Massive banking houses, cannons, modern ships and so on. By ruling through money, behind the scenes mostly, Bayaz can retain his hold on the world and expand it as ever more parts develop. Khalul on the other hand, cannot remain a tyrant forever if our history is anything to go by. Next I guess will be the invention of guns, and then it'll be a lot harder for Khalul to keep hold of his massive territories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I enjoyed Gorst's sections, and he ended up getting what he wanted, as well. I was a bit disappointed when Shivers denied being in Sipani, though - I was hoping they'd get into a fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalky Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I think you're wrong in that. It's obvious that Abercrombie's world is approaching the renaissance.. Massive banking houses, cannons, modern ships and so on. By ruling through money, behind the scenes mostly, Bayaz can retain his hold on the world and expand it as ever more parts develop. Khalul on the other hand, cannot remain a tyrant forever if our history is anything to go by. Next I guess will be the invention of guns, and then it'll be a lot harder for Khalul to keep hold of his massive territories.Ok, but Khalul has a head start in technological advances, Bayaz accused him of "always tinkering".And he can also maintain control of his region through religion. Besides, he's also got a lot more, and stronger, apprentices than Bayaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord O' Bones Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I enjoyed Gorst's sections, and he ended up getting what he wanted, as well. I was a bit disappointed when Shivers denied being in Sipani, though - I was hoping they'd get into a fight.I suspect Mr. Gorst and Mr. Shivers may meet again. And Logen as well.Anyone else think it was was weird the word "Logen" was never used throughout the book? even by Dow or the Dogman, or even the editor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Not really. His reputation is The Bloody Nine. Not Logen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord O' Bones Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Not really. His reputation is The Bloody Nine. Not Logen.Well yeah, but Dow and Dogman knew him otherwise. And never even thought it. Let alone the narrator editor. Or Craw for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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